OH jeesh, here we go again!! I beg to differ, is the inferior 'green'
propylene glycol gonna kill ALL the cars on the road? (And it IS
phosphate-free!) I believe like 90% of the cars out there have aluminum
heads on cast blocks..........I've NEVER seen corrosion caused by the green
in ANY car I've serviced! YMMV.

Doktor Karl M�llendorf

----- Original Message -----
From: T.P. Stephens <doktortim@ROCKISLAND.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, November 16, 1999 9:35 PM
Subject: DM: Re: VW coolant

> At 06:44 PM 11/16/1999 EST, you wrote:
> >In a message dated 11/16/99 11:14:20 AM Eastern Standard Time,
> >WoodyHalsey@COMPUSERVE.COM writes:
> >
> ><< 1) What color is VW phosphate-free coolant?
> >
> > 2) Is it possible and smart to try to save the precious stuff, if you
need
> > to drain your system to replace a pipe?
> >  >>
> >
> >you can buy phosphate free coolant nearly anywhere these days. Kmart
sells
> >that Sierra stuff that is pretty good. its orange.  stock VW $tuff is
blue.
> >chris
> >
>
> The spec is non-phosphate ethylene glycol. Look on the back of the
> container for contents.
> If it says propolene glycol, that's not it. If it says any type of
> phosphate, that's not it either.
>
> The higher spec. anti-freeses recently available meet the new GM specs.
> These are the orange dyed fluids. They are non-phos e-glycol with a bit
> different addative package, silicates and such. It took US manufacturers
> some 40 years to begin using the same higher spec. the Germans were
> requiring since they first put an aluminum head on a cast iron block in
the
> 50's. One way to tell is the spec. fluid is always two to three times the
> cost of the loss leader green stuff. Basf Corp. Germany makes the same
> fluid in either yellow or blue for Mercedes, VW/Audi/Porsche (Autobahn),
> Jaguar, Saab, Volvo, ect.
>
> It is only available at the various dealers. The factory European manuals
> state either fluid from the dealer or "non-phosphate ethylene glycol". The
> new US specs. meet this latter criteria.
>
> Keep in mind, if it is green, it's wrong. If it is yellow or blue, it
> genuine dealer. If it is orange, it is the new GM spec.
>
> Phosphate carries ions. That's why it's verboten in a mixed metals DM
> maschine.
>
>
>
> Doktor Tim
> Maintenance Repair and Restoration of European Vehicles
> San Juan Island, WA